Day3. Galan vs Lebron: the long road to the super semi-final begins with a win. The women’s top stars make their debuts on Thursday

The long-awaited race towards a semi-final showdown began this evening at the Allianz Cloud, with Ale Galan and Fede Chingotto, followed by Juan Lebron and Leo Augsburger, both getting their Oysho Milano Premier Padel P1 campaigns off to a winning start. The defending champions defeated Portuguese brothers Nuno and Miguel Deus 6-1 6-2. Then it was the turn of Juan Lebron, the ‘Lobo’ who won the Milan title alongside Galan in 2022 and 2023. Partnering Leo Augsburger, he beat Fede Mouriño and Marc Quilez 7-6 6-1 and, after two consecutive semi-final defeats in Milan, will be looking to go further this time. The daytime session had also brought victories for Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia, who beat Arnau Ayats and Emilio Chamero 6-3 6-3, and Franco Stupaczuk and Jon Sanz, finalists in Rotterdam and Düsseldorf, who defeated José Solano Marmolejo and Ramiro Pereyra 6-3 6-2. The biggest surprise of the day came with Xisco Gil and Rama Valenzuela beating Juan Tello and Maxi Arce (9) in three sets. For the Argentine pair, ranked 17th and 19th respectively in the Race to the Finals, the defeat complicates their bid to qualify for Barcelona, particularly as Edu Alonso (18th) and Aimar Goñi beat Clement Geens and Dylan Guichard at around the same time. Coello and Tapia will continue their campaign against José Jimenez and Alex Arroyo, while Chingalan will face Gil and Valenzuela.

 

WOMEN Thursday will also see the top four women’s pairs make their debuts. Opening play on Centre Court at 9.30 am CEST will be third seeds Ari Sanchez and Andrea Ustero, who face Lucia Martinez and Araceli Martinez, followed by top seeds Delfi Brea and Gemma Triay against Bea Caldera and Noa Canovas. In the afternoon, not before 6 pm, second seeds Paula Josemaria and Bea Gonzalez will take on Lorena Rufo and Victoria Iglesias. Meanwhile, on Court 1 — where the two remaining Italian players, Giulia Dal Pozzo and Carolina Orsi, will also be in action in the morning — Düsseldorf champions Claudia Fernandez and Martina Calvo (4) will face Jessica Castelló and Laia Rodriguez.